We're Identical
by Princess Leasha
Summary: Fred's reaction when his twin loses an ear and they are no longer identical.


_A one-shot prompted by Elliroc on Fred's reaction when George loses his ear._

"How do you feel, Georgie?" whispered Mrs Weasley.

George's fingers groped for the side of his head.

"Saint-like," he murmured.

"What's wrong with him?" croaked Fred, looking terrified. "Is his mind affected?"

"Saint-like," repeated George, opening his eyes and looking up at his brother. "You see…I'm holy. _Holey, _Fred, geddit?"

Mrs Weasley sobbed harder than ever. Colour flooded Fred's pale face.

"Pathetic," he told George. "Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humour before you, you go for _holey_?"

"Ah well," said George, grinning at his tear-soaked mother. "You'll be able to tell us apart now, anyway, Mum."

Fred's face paled again. George was right; their mother would be able to tell them apart now. Everyone would be able to tell them apart now, it was a little obvious, considering one of them was missing an ear. Fred sat at his twin's side as their mother patched him up, his mind drifted to happier times. Times when he and George were identical, fooling their mother and countless others. Calling themselves Gred and Forge, further confusing those that they had duped. Ever since they could remember, they had pretended to be each other; people had given up trying to tell them apart, it was too difficult when the twins made you doubt yourself.

"What are you thinking Freddie?" George asked, seeing his twin deep in thought.

"Nothing George."

"Don't lie to me Fred, just because we aren't identical anymore doesn't mean I don't know you. You're reminiscing. It's okay; we are still the best pranksters of all time, though I am the more attractive one, even if I'm missing an ear."

Fred attempted to smile, proud that his brother was still able to attempt humour, despite the fact that he had almost died.

"You wish."

"Chicks dig scars, and I am going to have a few nice ones where my ear was."

"Pity chicks want a guy that listens to them, that might be a little hard for you."

"Sorry, what'd you say mate? Talk into my other ear."

"You only have one you dolt," Fred said, punching him in the arm.

"MUM! FRED PUNCHED ME!" George yelled, grinning.

"FRED! Leave your brother alone, he's injured," Mrs Weasley chastised.

"How do you even know I'm Fred?" He responded automatically. "Wait, never mind."

Fred lapsed into silence as he realised just how many things would change, all because of George's stupid ear, or lack of. Denying their true identity was second nature to Fred and George, as Fred had just come to realise, he would have to stop himself from saying he was George, or he would make a fool of himself again.

George put a hand on his brother's shoulder, "We don't need to be identical to be twins Forge."

"But we've always been identical!" Fred exclaimed.

Obviously George didn't understand. Being identical twins had been such a big part of Fred's life; it had shaped who they were. Fred sighed, frustrated that his brother, his _twin _didn't understand. He couldn't believe that after all this time people would now be able to tell them apart. Unless they were identical again. Unless George's ear miraculously grew back. Or if Fred lost an ear.

"That's it!" Fred shouted, startling George.

"What's it?"

"Nothing George. I was just thinking. It's a surprise. You'll see later."

"Will I like the surprise?"  
>"Yes, you definitely will. It's a brilliant surprise. The best surprise in the history of surprises. It's…"<p>

"You know what, I get it Fred. It's going to be good. I will like it. No need to continue."

Fred lapsed into silence, planning how best to rid himself of his ear. He could cut it off, but then it wouldn't be the same. He would have to curse it off, like George's was, with the sectumsempra spell.

Later that night, while George was still downstairs, being fused over by their mother, Fred locked himself in their room. After casting the muffliato spell, Fred stood in front of the mirror, he pulled his wand out of the pocket of his jeans. He pointed the wand at his left ear. He was scared, though he'd never admit it, casting a dark curse like this on himself, so close to his brain, was a little crazy, even for the better half of the Weasley twins. With his eyes glued on the ear reflected in the mirror, he wondered how much different life would be with only one ear. How much would his hearing be effected? Would chicks actually "dig" his scar, as George had said or would they be horrified by it? Oh well, somethings were more important to him than what girls thought of him. He was a Weasley twin, and Weasley twins stuck together through thick and thin. Even if it meant cursing off his own ear.  
>"Stop stalling," he thought, "this is the only way you are going to be identical to George again. You need to do this now; it's your only chance. If he finds out he would never let you do it."<br>He nodded, agreeing with himself, he knew that if George had the slightest hint that he was doing something so reckless, he wouldn't let him out of his sight. He knew this because if the roles were reversed, he wouldn't let George be so stupid either.  
>"Well, this is it. Goodbye ear, nice knowing you," he said aloud, "Sectumsempra."<br>Fred screamed as the spell cut him, it was even more painful then he thought it would be. He fell on the floor, gasping for air, shocked at the amount of blood that was beginning to pool. He tried to sit up to look in the mirror, but he was too weak. His whole face felt like it was on fire. Blood started falling in his eyes. His last coherent thought before falling into blackness was "George".

George sat bolt upright, looking around for his twin. Something was wrong, he didn't know how he knew, but he just knew.  
>"Fred?" He called.<br>"I think he's upstairs dear." Molly called from the kitchen.  
>George got off the couch, too quickly apparently, and gave himself a head spin. A paused to allow his vision to clear before running up the stairs as fast as he could. When he reached their shared bedroom, the door was locked, without thinking; George shouldered the door with all the force he could muster. The door came off with a bang, causing his mother to shout from downstairs, he didn't care. The sight that greeted him was horrific, it was even worse than seeing Bill after he was attacked by Greyback. Worse than all of Charlie's scars and burns from the dragons. Fred was lying on their bedroom floor in a pool of blood; his face has covered in blood. George shouted for his mother as he moved to his brother's side.<p>

The wounds were still gushing blood.  
>"Vulnera Sanentur" George muttered, waving his wand over his brother, tears falling from his eyes. Molly reached the bedroom and screamed at the sight of her son. She kneeled beside Fred, repeating the spell that George was using. The blood stopped flowing and the wounds healed before their eyes.<br>"We need dittany. Dittany to fix scaring." Molly told George, getting up to fetch it.  
>"Accio dittany," George said, causing a bottle to come flying from across the room from their pranking supplies.<br>George unstopped the bottle and squeezed drops of the dittany onto the wounds on his brother's face. Molly watched, tears streaming down her face at the sight of her boys.  
>"What was he doing?" She hiccupped.<br>"Something stupid I presume," George responded through his tears.  
>"His ear," Molly cried, pointing to the side of Fred's head.<br>"Bloody idiot," George muttered, "Mum, we're going to need a healer."

Molly nodded once before leaving the room, heading for the fireplace. George hugged his brother, tears flowing freely.

"You stupid, stupid idiot! Why would you do something so stupid? We don't need to be identical Freddie, you didn't need to curse your ear off. We could have just grown our hair to cover our ears and no-one would know, there were so many logical solutions for this you dolt."

The tears came thicker and faster when George realised that Fred still hadn't stirred, even though his wounds were healed. Fred had lost a lot of blood, which was still pooled where he lay. How much blood could one lose without dying? George didn't know, but the red pool that was seeping into his jeans didn't look promising.

"Don't you dare die on me Freddie," he cried, his tears falling onto his brother's face.

"It's not fair. You can't leave me. Not now. Not ever. I don't know what I would do without you. Who would run the shop with me and invent products? Only you and I can do that, working with someone else would be wrong. Don't leave me Freddie, it's not time yet. We still have so much to do."

George's vision was blurred, he couldn't see through the tears as he clung desperately to his brother's body.

"C'mon Freddie, you can do it. Come back. You can't go. If we go, we go together, just like everything else, this would be no different. C'mon Fred. Just come back. Wake up. Don't leave me Fred. You can't. It's not fair to leave me here alone; I don't know what I'd do without you. C'mon Freddie."

Fred's body was motionless. His face covered in the tears of his twin. George couldn't live without him, it would be more than losing a brother or a friend. Fred was a part of him. They did everything together. They knew each other better than anyone else would even begin to understand. Life without Fred wouldn't be life. It would be torture. Every time he looked in the mirror, he would see his brother smiling back at him. He couldn't live like that, seeing Fred's face in his reflection. He wasn't strong enough for something like that.

"C'mon Freddie. You can do it, just come back you stubborn git. I don't know what I'd do without you. Come back Freddie, don't leave me here. You can't leave me Fred, you can't it's not fair. Twins don't do that to each other. Come back Fred, for Mum and Dad. And Bill, Charlie, heck even for Percy, the slimy git that he is. And Ron and Ginny. What about Ange, Alicia, Katie and Lee? C'mon Freddie, there's so many people that need you. Especially me. C'mon Fred."

There was still no change in Fred's condition. George could imagine their mother downstairs, crying into the fireplace contacting St Mungo's. The mediwitches would be here soon. They would know what to do. They would fix Fred. They had to, it was there job.

"I know we've never said this, but I love you Forge, just wake up dammit."

George felt a slight movement underneath his body. He wiped away his tears to see his brother's eyes opening.

"I love you to Gred."

Fred's hand reached for the side of his head, where his ear had been. He smiled as he realised it was gone.

"Look Gred, we're identical."

_Hope you liked it. Let me know. _


End file.
